Our this Week’s episode of series on the profile of the Gambia National Team (Scorpions) is on Gambia’s finest striker in recent times Assan Ceesay nick named Torres. A professional footballer with Switzerland heavyweights FC Zurich, Torres born on March 27 at Haddington Street in Banjul is on 1.72 meters in height.
He earned his sobriquet name Torres after former Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea forward Fernando Torres liked for his quick feet, skills, work ethic and eye for goal.
Like many others, his football career started on the streets of Banjul where he made a name for himself as a school going kid while attending Wesley Primary School before moving to Crab Island Junior Secondary School. He played for the school teams at both Wesley and Crab Island featuring regularly at the then Inter Schools football tournaments.
He was initially spotted by former Coach Sulayman (Saul) Corr Football Academy were he joined in at the Youth Tournaments organized by Saul Corr with compatriots Tijan Jaiteh and Demba Savage as senior players at the tournament.
Torres’s blossoming career kicked off in his first year playing Nawettan football in Banjul a year he made headlines news for helping his local side returned to the Nawettan proper without relegation and scoring vital goals for his side. Then on, he was selected for the Banjul Zonal Team (Super Nawettan) and eventually earned a call up to the National U17 Team.
The 1.72m striker was later recruited by League Div One side Gamtel FC under Coach Saul Corr who continue to keep an eye on his ebullient skills and keeping him close under his watch. Becoming one of the most reliable goal scores in the domestic League. Assan shortly moved to Senegal in 2014 to join Casa Sport where he built more on his development and goal scoring adventure. He spent two years with the former Champions before his biggest dream to move far away from the shores of SeneGambia came to fruition with a scouting move to FC Lugano in Switzerland featuring 17 times and scoring 3 goals in the 2016-2017 season.
He went on loan to FC Chiasso for the 2017-2018 where he scored 8 for the period of matches he featured in. Torres continued and made further pursuits to earn his bigger dream when he penned contract with Swiss giant FC Zurich in 2018. During his stint with the power houses, he scored 4 goals for the club but with on an injury hit campaign, he was loaned out to VfL Osnabruck in January 2020 for the remainder of the 2019-2020 season.
Upon return to his parent club, Torres has rejuvenated on his goal scoring stints putting past goal keepers in the club’s preseason matches and opening games of the 2020-2021 season.
The 26 year old striker began his international stardom with the National U-17 before progressing to the Young Scorpions cadre. during his sojourn with the U-20, he scored 3 goals in 8 matches where he was featured. Torres rose though the ranks to the Olympic sides (Under 23) and again made a record 2 goals in 5 caps before joining with the Senior National Team.
He made his Scorpions debut in a test game against Tanzania in 2013 and featured again in South Africa in the CAN Qualifiers in 2015 for the Afcon Qualifiers. Torres continued on the move and scored his first and second goals in a Friendly against Morrocan Olympic side on 16 November, 2017. He scored in another friendly with the Central Africa Republic in 2018 but banging against Algeria in 1 all draw during a Africa Nations Cup qualifier on 13 September, 2018 at home. He scored against Togo during the campaign and was amongst the most reliable strikers the GAMBIA could be proud of.
Torres never disappoint….He scored against Angola away in a World Cup Qualifer away on 10 September, 2019 before putting a brace away in the Afcon Qualifer in November 2019. His latest goal came in a Friendly against Congo in Portugal during a ten day camp where the SCORPIONS beat the Red Devils 1 nil.
The fans favorite, Assan Ceesay will be looking to add more goals when the Qualifiers for the Afcon resume in November with a double header against Gabon in a top of the table clash.